Page 161 of Lovely Venom

“We’re done with this.”

“What?” She searches my eyes.

“Survival mode.”

I let that sink in for a minute before I continue.

“I know someone hurt you, and when I find out who it was, I’ll slaughter them. But I need you to understand that I’m in this, and if I have to tell you that every day until you believe it, I will.”

She blinks rapidly, trying to dispel the tears hovering at the edges of her eyes. She’s been emotional and exhausted lately, and has also suddenly decided she hates the smell of eggs and perfume.

That’s a conversation for another day.

Chantel has to come to terms with things on her own time, and I know she’s getting there. I’ve caught her staring into space more often than not this week. She isn’t naïve. Big changes overwhelm her, and it’s a slow road to acceptance. I just need her to take the leap of faith and trust that I’ll catch her.

“The way I want you terrifies me,” she confesses.

“I know, gattina. But I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

She nods, though doubt still lingers in her eyes. She wants to believe it, but something is holding her back, and I suspect it has everything to do with her past.

We’ll have to work through it eventually.

“I’ve had some time to think about my job,” she says hesitantly. “I don’t know how long it will take to find Elias, and it’s not really fair to have them hold my spot. So I’m going to tell Viktor he should give someone else the opportunity. My time there was coming to an end anyway. I just didn’t think it would be so abrupt.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her, and I genuinely mean it. I know how much her work meant to her.

“You did the right thing, even if I couldn’t see it at the time,” she admits. “I wouldn’t feel safe at work while Elias is still out there. But when all of this is over, I want to go back to say a proper goodbye to everyone.”

“Okay.”

“And I still want to dance,” she says. “I was thinking about doing classes, maybe.”

“If that’s what you want, then you should do it.”

“You’re being very agreeable,” she observes.

“Like I said, I’m not trying to take anything from you. Spend your days dancing, reading, or lounging by the pool if you want. As long as you’re with me in our bed every night, that’s all I care about.”

“So basically what you’re telling me is that I’m in my soft girl, princess era?”

She says it like it’s a joke, but it’s definitely not.

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.” I slide my palm up her thigh and pull her against my hardening cock. “You have a new title now, principessa.”

“What?” She moans as I start to kiss my way down her throat.

“Mine.”

“You better have a good reason for being out of bed.”

Chantel startles at the sound of my voice, turning to look at me with pancake batter smeared across her face. It’s also splattered on her shirt, and there’s a drippy trail all the way to the stove where three black pucks are stuck to the pan.

“I was trying to make you breakfast.”

What begins as a choked laugh turns into tears a second later.

“Come here, gattina.” I try to hide my amusement as she pads over to me. “Why are you crying?”